North Wello, South Wello and Oromia Zones of Amhara region had an
unsatisfactory meher harvest in 1998, a complete failure of the
belg and a poor meher harvest in 1999, leading to the depletion
of household assets including recent heavy losses of livestock. According to
the January 2000 National Appeal 475,857 drought affected people in North
Wello, 785,864 people in South Wello and 124,870 people in Oromia zones were in
need of humanitarian assistance.

Furthermore, rains started two months late in April for the belg.
Therefore, belg crops, mainly barley and wheat in the highlands, were
planted late, subjected to moisture stress, pest infestation and became
stunted. Consequently, the belg harvest was poor. The failure of the
current belg harvest has pushed up the number of needy people in North
Wello, South Welo and Oromia zones to 656,763; 1,185,926 and 164,391
respectively (DPPC -EWS Report, July 2000). Although the belated rains helped
the re-growth of grasses for animals, land preparation for the meher
planting was not carried out as required due to inadequate soil moisture.

This year's main rains started more or less on time and were distributed
evenly. Farmers in mid-land and lowland areas unanimously reported that for a
better meher harvest light showers should continue intermittently until
the end of October. Unlike other years, last year for example, this year the
rains did not cease in August, instead there were excess rains in pocket areas
and overflow of Borkana River (Oromia Zone) which damaged crops planted in
Chaffa depression. But in Kobo Wereda of North Wello Zone in August rains were
scarce and this would affect crop yield to certain extent.

This field assessment was conducted from 5-15 October 2000 in
North Wello (Kobo and Meket weredas), South Welo (Wara Illu and Kalu weredas)
and Oromia (Bati and Dawa Chaffa weredas) zones of Amhara region. The objective
of the mission was to assess the situation of main rains, the impact of a
delayed belg and monitor relief food distribution by various
governmental agencies and NGOs. Line departments, wereda officials, wereda DPP
Committees, NGOs and farmers were contacted during the mission.

In normal years the belg rains start in February and end
in May while the main season rains commence in June and end in September.
However, this year the belg rains were delayed by two months starting in
April in North and South Wello zones, except in Oromia Zone where light showers
were received at the end of March.

In the highlands, and wet mid-lands where belg crops, mainly barley and
wheat, were planted using April rains the crops suffered from moisture stress
during a dry spell in May and later become infested with aphids. In many cases
this has led to a total failure of the crops, with the remaining stalks only
useful as livestock feed. In the lowland areas the main belg crops of
maize and sorghum were either severely affected by moisture shortage or not
planted at all, reducing the amount of land cultivated for belg season
production. In general, due to the delayed belg rains, sowing was
delayed and the harvesting of belg crops will also be delayed.

In the northern highlands, main season rains started on time in June and the
distribution was good up until 15 October. Nevertheless, for better harvest,
the main season rains need to extend on and off until the end of October
2000.

In the lowlands of Kobo, Habru, Bati and Dawa Chaffa weredas, where
evapo-transpiration is high, the amount of rain received was not adequate to
fulfill the moisture requirements of crops grown and there will be yield
reduction as a result.

On the other hand, according to Oromia Zone Department of Agriculture report,
in August there was inundation of Borkana River, which flooded teff, maize and
sorghum crops in Dawa Chaffa Wereda and Artuma Jille Wereda damaging over 500
hectares of cropland. Furthermore, 500 households were temporarily displaced
while 125 shoats and 247 chickens were killed in Dawa Chaffa Wereda.

Normally, belg crops are planted in February and harvested
in June/July while meher crops are planted in June/July and harvested in
November/December. This year, due to the delayed belg rains, barley and
wheat were planted late in April and were subjected to a dry spell in May.
Compounding the problem, aphids (plant lice) physically stunted crops at the
pre-flowering stage in the midlands and highlands of North and South Wello
Zones. While belg farmers in the highlands do not normally attempt
meher cropping, this year some farmers were seen re-ploughing their farm
plots previously planted with belg crops and have sown opportunistic
crops (pulses, teff, wheat and barley) despite hailstorms in July and August
and the risk of frost in October. Even if unsuccessful these crops could be
used for feeding their animals.

Belg rains are also used for land preparation for meher crops.
Unfortunately, this year the delay in belg rains did not allow timely
and quality land preparation ahead of the planting season. Lack of draught
animals worsened the situation. As late as July, planting of meher crops
like wheat, barley and horse bean and field peas was carried out and during
this mission they were at seed setting stage instead of being matured. In the
belg producing highland areas meher rains are used for land
preparation and during this mission land preparation was going on in these
areas for the coming belg planting. This helps farmers work the soil
easily especially when the soil is wet and draught animals are well fed and
hardy.

In lowland areas, long cycle crops like maize and sorghum were either planted
late (in April) or farm plots were instead replaced with short cycle crops,
mainly with a teff variety known as bunigne, which matures in less than
three months. Long cycle crops planted late, mainly maize, generally
failed due to lack of soil moisture, except in marshy areas. Short duration
crops are expected to give a low yield thus reducing the annual production.

In order to alleviate the shortage of seeds, SCF/UK and FAO have provided seeds
to needy people in the areas visited. 75 mts of improved wheat seed (HR1685)
was distributed (25 kg/farmer) in June to farmers in Desse Zuria Wereda from
FAO. At the same time, 25 mts of teff seeds (10 kg/farmer) and 12 mts of barley
seeds (25 kg/farmer) were distributed to farmers in Kutaber and Wadla weredas,
respectively from the same organization.

SCF/UK provided 150 mts of barley seeds (local purchase) each to Wadla and Guba
Lafto Weredas on a novel mode of payment, Seed-for-Work/EGS, where a
household working for 5 days gets 25 kg of seeds. The project established a
"seed implementation committee" which has 7-8 members (4 beneficiaries - 2
women and 2 men, 2 elders and 1 or 2 religious leaders - one Christian and one
Islamic). The project set an agreement with the needy and selected farmers and
advised them to buy by their own means or borrow from friends/relatives 25 kg
of barely seed (for a quarter of a hectare) that suits them. Then each farmer
brought 25 kg of seed to warehouse to be weighed (names written on each bag)
and issued to the farmers after completing their EGS activities. Once the seed
is purchased by the selected beneficiaries and handed over to be stored, SCF/UK
refunds the money (Birr 75 for 25 kg of barley seed) to each farmer. Contacted
beneficiary farmers were happy with this system because they had a chance of
buying varieties preferred and suitable to their soils, climatic conditions and
above all they are confident about the quality and performance of the material
purchased as they are relying on their own experience in selecting the seed.
Although the approach was implemented for only one year, it needs more time to
generate greater interest and for further development. The approach was
welcomed by the beneficiaries and local officials. SCF/UK learned that there is
a need for increasing the amount of seed to be provided per farmer to 50 kg,
sufficient for half a hectare of land.

According to a recent Kombolcha Plant Health Clinic report, starting from June
2000 there have been outbreaks of an insect pest, Sorghum Chafer (Pachnoda
interrupta) in Oromia Zone (Bati, Dawa Chaffa and Artuma Jille weredas),
South Wello Zone (Kalu and Wara Babo weredas), North Wello Zone (Habru, Guba
Lafto and Kobo weredas) and 6 weredas of North Shewa zone. Over the past two
years the pest was become an important crop pest in Afar Region and adjacent
weredas in Oromia and Amhara regions. It is drawing national attention due to
its potential damage to flowers and fruiting parts of crops (mainly sorghum,
maize and sunflower) and bushes and forest trees. The pest extensively
devastated crops despite farmers' efforts in controlling it traditionally (hand
picking, smoking and disturbing the pest by shaking every stand of sorghum
plant in a field the whole-day mobilizing all members of a household, including
kids) and using baiting (mixing insecticide- Sevin with banana, peach
and cactus fruits and other materials). The pest eats up fruits/grains at milky
stage and hampers fructification and seed setting of crops. Research results
indicate a 58 -71% yield reduction in sorghum in Ethiopia. Other pests such as
American bollworm and Weaver birds (Quellea quellea) were also
additional threats damaging crops in the three zones visited.

Furthermore, problems inflicted on crops by weeds, mainly Striga
hermontica- a parasitic weed on sorghum, invasive weeds like Congress Weed
(Parthenium hysterophorus) and Prosopis sp. were also reported in
the zones.

Due to poor rain over the last three years, livestock were
underfed and subjected to high mortality. In North Wello Zone alone, 49,000
cattle perished last year according to local officials. Due to population
pressure and expansion of farmlands, even edges of farm fields were overgrazed.
Weeds and failed crops are used as additional feed sources. Farmers were
complaining of lack of oxen and hence the quality of land preparation was
reduced, as was the area of land cultivated. Farmers were using cows, heifers
and equines as draught animals, which are not as strong as oxen. In Wadla
Wereda of North Wello Zone for example, 15% and 60% of the farmers were using
paired oxen for ploughing and ox-horse pair, respectively. The remaining 15%,
3%, 5% and 2% were using horses, cows, mules and horses respectively for
ploughing.

Although in Dawa Chaffa Wereda of Oromia Zone some animal diseases were
reported by farmers, which could be due to the swampy nature of Borkana
Depression, no serious and unusual disease outbreaks or deaths were reported in
the zones visited. The Borkana Valley is usually used as grazing area for about
100,000 cattle (about 60,000 are coming from out side Oromia Zone) and a high
incidence of internal and external parasites, skin diseases and many other
diseases usually necessitates vaccination and treatment every year.

Besides relief food distribution to the needy people, people cited limited
alternative sources of income. Sale of fuel wood, mainly charcoal (in the
lowland areas) and eucalyptus tree (in the highland areas), timbers, livestock,
crop stands in farm fields were repeatedly reported by groups and individual
farmers. Wage labour and development activities like Seed-for-Work,
Food-for-Work and Cash-for-Work were also cited as additional opportunities by
those with easy access to the work. Consumption of wild foods was a means of
economizing food rations provided to a household. Taken together, these income
means are not only income sources but also indicators of continuing food
shortages.

Another means of access to cash was borrowing money from better off people
paying back the debt in grain (for example, for Birr 100 borrowed one has to
pay back 100 kg of grain which is more expensive than the money borrowed) at
harvest time.

Although Zonal and Wereda Health Officials refrained from giving
information, community members: both farmers and urban dwellers, including
health professionals, reported that as of mid-September there was an outbreak
of disease with excessive vomiting and diarrhea, suspected to be a Cholera-like
infection in South Wello and Oromia Zones. At least three PAs (West of Harbu
town) in Kalu Wereda and two PAs (Garbi Village near Kamisse town) in Dawa
Chaffa Wereda were affected and currently receiving treatment by health
professionals pooled together from different hospitals and clinics in the
zones. As a matter of urgency, World Vision Ethiopia (WVE) donated money for
the campaign being carried out intensively in the areas affected. According to
an unofficial report from the community, 18 people have died from Kalu wereda
while not less than 22 people had reportedly died in Dawa Chaffa Wereda. In
both weredas some schools were temporarily closed, after being opened for the
new Ethiopian academic year, and markets were temporarily prohibited (up to the
end of this mission) to reduce the spread of the disease. Currently, however,
the situation was under intensive treatment and hoped to be contained according
to the Zonal and Wereda Health Officials.

Meanwhile, according to local health officials, an increase of malaria cases is
anticipated up to the end of October in the lowland areas of the three zones.

Relief food distributions were underway under the auspices of
NGOs and ORDA (Organization for Relief and Development of Amhara) in all the
weredas visited. LWF and SCF/UK distributed food stocks themselves in their
areas of intervention, while stocks provided by WFP and DPPC are managed and
distributed by ORDA at grass roots level. Mode of distribution includes EGS,
FFW and gratuitous provisions.

SCF/UK initiated Seed-for-Work, as a back stop to food insecure households,
assisting 12,000 farmers in Guba Lafto and Wadla weredas of North Welo Zone.

For the inaccessible weredas of the three zones food was pre-positioned for the
period June to September. Even then, given the high number of needy population
the amount of food delivered was said by the local officials to be
insufficient. For example, in Wara Illu Wereda a total of 77,209 were said to
be in need while only 56,568 people were provided relief food.

The belg 2000 harvest was very poor, as it had been in the previous
three consecutive years. Belg dependent areas will therefore continue to
be dependent on relief assistance until the next belg harvest in June
2001. At the same time, there is a great need for seeds for the next planting
season in belg dependent areas of the zones visited. From previous
experience and discussions with community and local officials in emergency
situations (especially where drought and famine were recurrent, as it is in the
zones visited) provision of seed should be free and never on credit basis. This
is because many of the affected people were already heavily in debt (mainly due
to loans of agricultural inputs- fertilizers, herbicides and improved seeds,
and/or seed credits in emergency situations) and unable to liquidate their
obligation due to the persistent depletion of assets. It was observed that the
poor, farmers without any livestock to sell and pay their debt, were
complaining that debt had risen to the extent they had to abandon their family
and escape to other areas in fear of being prosecuted. Basically, credit is
only viable when repayment can be effected without placing farmers in
difficulty. But, the trend in the areas visited according to farmers and local
officials is that loans are repeatedly being issued to farmers and they are
over burdened with debts and this will eventually kill the habit of clearing
loan and repayments. This was true in regular programs like cash-and in-kind
credit programs in the zones visited. It is somehow unfair to persist in
pursuing clients for repayment when they are not in a position to maintain
their families and lives due to crop failure and severe food shortage. For
example, in Guba Lafto Wereda of North Welo Zone farmers were reluctant to
receive seed credit in fear of the obligation to repay under uncertain
production circumstances.

As a result of last year's toll on livestock and intensive selling of animals
by people in order to sustain their families many farmers have lost or have
been left without livestock. In order to rebuild their asset base, therefore,
support in restocking is considered essential and needs to be part of the
humanitarian response and integrated with food and cropping assistance (grains
and seeds) which is merely half of the livelihood of a household.

In view of the problem, EECMY and HOPE Enterprise have started restocking in
response to the drought, establishing community-based committees which will be
responsible for the identification and local purchase of animals and free
distribution to destitute and desperate households in their project sites. This
will increase self-confidence and accelerate the recovery and self-reliance of
households in a manner more effective than only addressing the partial
requirement and livelihood of the affected people through food and seed
provision.

Even in good years, the zones visited are food insecure and can not adequately
feed the population hosted. It is not always worth thinking of large-scale
irrigation schemes when there is no capacity (at least financially) for it.
Instead, micro-irrigation schemes with individuals or farmers group are
practical and important alternative crop production means.

DISCLAIMER

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this document do
not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the UN concerning the
legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or
concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.